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SBE 2020: Submission Detail
| ID Number: |
127 |
| Title: |
Some Foundational and Transformative Grand Challenges for the Social and Behavioral Sciences: The Problem of Global Public Goods |
| Lead Author: |
Nordhaus, William |
| Abstract: |
Because of economic growth, globalization, and rapid technological change, many of humanitys major concerns are ones that arise on a global scale. A particularly dangerous syndrome is global public goods, which involve processes that adversely affect the entire globe in an indivisible manner. Important examples are global warming, ozone depletion, financial crises, cyber warfare, and nuclear proliferation. The mechanism underlying the problems of global public goods is the absence of political or economic mechanisms that can deal effectively and efficiently with these issues. The grand challenge for the social and behavioral sciences is to devise mechanisms that overcome the bias toward the status quo with respect to life-threatening global issues. This will involve two separate areas: To develop analytical approaches that can explain the syndrome and develop mechanisms to curb the problems before they become dangerous; and to encourage interdisciplinary programs that link together local knowledge about particular problems and the analytical knowledge of potential solutions. |
| PDF: |
Nordhaus_William_127.pdf |
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